What: Tightening job market is forcing Walmart to create ‘careers’ for its employees.

Why is it important: The retailer’s making more of its workers full time as well as investing in a self-driving car company show ambition to seek dominance in e-commerce

The retailer’s exercise to build its e-commerce business follows its projection in February that its e-commerce revenue will surpass USD 100 billion in the next two years. Walmart said it plans to make more of its U.S. employees full time, resulting in roughly two-thirds of its U.S. hourly workforce becoming full time over the next year.

Drew Holler, senior vice president of Walmart U.S. People Operations, said: “our growing pickup and delivery business calls for us to create more full-time job opportunities as our stores increasingly operate as both fulfilment centres and retail spaces.” The move follows its investor meeting in February where the retailer said it was increasing pay for some 425 000 additional workers.

Walmart U.S. president John Furner also addressed the company’s investment in Cruise, the self-driving car company, describing it as an asset at a time when the company is fine-tuning its delivery mechanisms and striving to cut emissions by 2040. “As delivery has become a staple in our customers’ lives, we’re focused on growing our last mile ecosystem in a way that’s beneficial for everyone — customers, business and the planet.”

In E-commerce Race, Walmart Eyes Its Workforce and Delivery Tech